You will find here lesson plans and classroom resources for the Jewish classroom addressing chevra kadisha, shiva, grief, mourning and many other aspects of Jewish death and funerals.
Feel free to borrow the lesson plans and classroom resources as-is or use them to spark your own lesson plans.
The Jewish Lifecycle is filled with growth physically and spiritually and at each stage a person changes, Pirkei Avos 5:24 describes the Jewish Lifecycle.
The Jewish Name is very important throughout the Jewish Lifecycle and Jewish identity. Among Ashkenazi Jews (Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe), it is customary to name children after a recently deceased relative. This is a way of honoring loved one’s who have died and of keeping the dead person's memory alive.
Remember Me: Ethical Wills The ethical will is a Jewish tradition dating as far back as the Bible. It is a written statementfrom a parent, teacher, or other relative which attempts to put into words the lessons learned and the values lived by during his or her lifetime. By writing this "letter" they hope to pass this legacy on to their children and future generations.
Tales of the Storyteller: Charity Saves from Death
This unit is made up of five learning activities. Each is designed to take at least a few minutes, and together they should take up ( one or two 45-minute class sessions.
- Activity One: Read and discuss the story “The Beggar at the Wedding."
- Activity Two: Discuss the meaning of the story.
- Activity Three: Thinking about the Story: Look and learn with Jewish texts having to do with tzedakah, in chevrusa.
- Activity Four: Explore the value. “tzedakah saves from death”, by analyzing a few interpretations of its meaning,
- Activity Five: Closing Thoughts: Discuss students' own interpretations of the story's message.